National Menorah illuminates Washington, D.C.

Nov. 27 - The U.S. National Menorah is lit near the White House, marking the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Hanukah. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).

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ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION)
The U.S. National Menorah was lit near the White House to begin celebrations for Hanukkah. The lighting ceremony is one of the most high-profile events in the country to mark the Jewish holiday.
The eight-day Hanukkah celebration, also known as the Festival of Lights, began at sundown on Wednesday.
The lighting of the National Menorah in Washington, on the Ellipse near the White House, dates back to 1979 when then-President Jimmy Carter participated in the ceremony at nearby Lafayette Park.
The event was organized by the Chabad-Lubavitch movement of Hasidic Judaism.
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the 2nd century BC victory of Judah Maccabee and his followers in a guerrilla revolt in ancient Judea against armies of the Seleucid Empire.
The Menorah is a key part of the festival, because according to Jewish tradition, the Maccabees found only enough ritually pure oil to light a ceremonial lamp in the temple in Jerusalem for one day, but the oil burned for eight days.

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